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Thorg
Thorg is a TL2 planet that makes up part of the Ragnhil system in Hex #0004. Formerly a prosperous world, events during the Second Imperial Civil War caused it to become the low-technology feral world it is today. Locations of Interest Isadva Formerly the capital of the Planet, Isadva is became one of the biggest ruins site in the Sector, it's skyscrapers and malls destroyed during The Burning of Thorg. Exploring these ruins is extremely risky due to the strong presence of a Thorgian tribe extremely hotile to outsiders Dimi's Castle Built when a Deathless operative went AWOL to be a warlord on Thorg for a while. The medieval-style castle sits atop a mountain, empty most of the time. The Thorgian tribes avoid the location, citing a "Demon" to Deathless emissaries when asked why. Deathless Conflict Solutions Industrial Safe Zone Formerly the domain of a "King Murderslash" and an important trade hub for the Thorgian tribes. The area used to be a center of TL2 industry, providing powder based weapons and manufactured textiles for protection from warring raiders. Due to its strategic location and already existant worker population, The Deathless chose the area for their Industrial project. The former trade hub is now heavily guarded by Deathless troops and its factories have been modernized to TL4 standards. The Hazard Box A highly secured permanent training facility for the Deathless set up on Thorg. Its goal is to challenge Deathless operatives in the most dangerous ways, with a leaderboard for the best operatives. Due to its high risk and lethality-rate, only the best operatives are allowed access for training. The Glass Tomb The Glass Tomb is a 10km wide area of Thorg that is entirely made of glass, at the center of it is a marble slate and a green oak tree, the only living organism in the Glass Tomb. This area is a direct result of the events that transpired over the course of the War Against the Artificials and the Deathless' Synthetic Contract. Inner Hell One of the larger continents of Thorg, Inner Hell is devoid of any tribes and is solely occupied by The Deathless, who use it as battlegrounds for their Infighting contracts and as an internment facility for The Punished. Access to and from Inner Hell is extremely restricted, as Deathless are fighting Deathless regularly accross the continent. Within Inner Hell is located Camp Asmodeus, the center of Operations for the Punished. Thorg and The Deathless Prior to 3200, the Deathless expended no effort to help return the planet to its former status. On the contrary, keeping Thorg as a desolate planet infested with warlords and monstrosities is beneficial to DCS, who use it as a training ground for their troops as well as a recruiting pool. Various features of Thorg make it excellent for the Deathless' needs, such as: * Monstrous fauna modified by the cataclysmic explosions that effectively destroyed Thorg, the Thorgian Scorpion breeds being a prime example. * Openly hostile Warbands who provide live-fire training and testing opportunities to Deathless troops. * Varied climates and environments, providing different scenarios to test and train survival skills and the effects of different environments to Deathless equipment. Technically, no outsider is allowed on Thorg by Imperial decree, this hasn’t stopped The Deathless from operating on its surface. This is due to them being in charge of enforcing this "strict" imperial quarantine and therefore use this as a legal excuse to do as they please on the surface. Some rumours say that Deathless Conflict Solutions attained this responsibility with the assistance of the now defunct House Cygnus following the 2nd Imperial Civil War. These blatantly false and unfounded claims also suggest that Cygnus, along with some House Triangulum maltech researchers, wanted a secure planet where they could develop and test bio weapons, some even go as far as to say that the Thorgi is one of these weapons! For more information regarding these baseless claims see Operation: Swan Lake. In the year 3200, however, the PMC made moves on the planet, creating their Industrial Safe Zone on the location of a known trading hub in February and starting Operation: Silicon Valley, attempting to seize control of the planet's multiple tribes. Thorgian Fauna Thorgi Thorgis are a canine-scorpion hybrids with unknown origins. The populace of Koschei have taken a liking to them, taking them as pets. Even the Deathless, with their Ckophundz units make use of the creatures. Panzerkatze Size: 5 meters length and steanding height, 1.5 meter shoulder height Epidermis: Hard Shell Behavior: This massive feline carnivorous creature relies on its hard shell to fend off stingers and pincers alike. The animal is surprisingly slender and stealthy for its massive size and armor, sneaking up on unsuspecting prey and having the means to survive in an extended fight. Biologists studying the species have noticed that the panzerkatze seem to take a liking to Thorgis as their favored prey and have established a link between those predatory tactics and the wild Thorgi's preference to travel in packs. A battle between a pack of Thorgis and one Panzerkatze is a brutal sight to behold, the two mortal enemies having perfected the art of warfare against one another. A Panzerkatze will produce a litter of 4-6 Panzerkätchen that weigh usually 2-5 pounds at birth. Naming and place in Koscheian society: As the story goes, Panzerkatze had a different name given by the native. formerly civilised Thorgians, that name is now lost to time and The Burning of Thorg. However, it is said that the new name emerged when the House Crux Planetary evaluation team was ambushed by one of the mighty animals. Reminded of their proud Hieran gravtanks by the armored beast, the panicking Inquisitor called the animal a "Panzerkatze", which translates to, quite literally, "Tank Cat" in Hieran, and the name caught on. The animals are tameable but extremely limited for civilian companionship on Koschei, some members of The Deathless have them as a unit mascot or just as a pet. Like Ivan Azarov's Major Vladislav "Cheddar" Azarov and the 9th Orbital Marines' Anatoli "Mauler" Nikitiv. Scorpion Crab Size: Varies between roughly the size of a Wolf and a Bear Epidermis: Hard Shell Offense: Venomous stinger, Claws (Blindness, Onset: 1 minute, Duration: 1d6 days) Behavior: Predator - Hunts alone. Once it has struck its prey it takes it time letting the victim run itself to exhaustion or into, or off, something and moves in for the kill. They are climbing animals that hide in the trees of the Thorgian temperate forests and Jungles to land on their prey from above. The Jungle variety tend to have a harder shell while the temperate scorpion has a natural camouflage Two Step Stinger Scorpion (or just the Two-Step Stinger) Size: about 3.5 in (6-12 cm) Epidermis: exoskeleton Offense: Venomous sting (Blood to acid) Behavior: While not necessarily the most dangerous creatures on Thorg these are likely the most strictly deadly. These small scorpions have a red and black bumblebee like pattern to them, flecked with gold. They like to hide in dark quiet places, like the shoes and clothes of an unwary traveler. The amount of poison in each sting is truly remarkable for a creature it’s size. It delivers nearly 73X a lethal dose for the average human in one strike. When stung the victim's blood rapidly becomes acidic. If stung on an extremity such as a finger this becomes lethal within about 4-6 seconds as it melts organs and tissue, much faster if stung on the chest or near a major artery. The PH balance of the victim's blood will hit 0 within a minute of being affected, melting the body away completely for the Scorpion to eat. For this reason the Thorgians give it the name Two Step Stinger, once stung you can only make it two steps before it ends. Thorgian plains Scorpion Size: Roughly the size of a Bull Epidermis: Stiff stinging "Fur" Offense: Claws with opposable thumbs, dual stingers (pain increasing poison non lethal) Behavior: Prey/Grazer - Moves in vigilant herds picking at grass and fruit with their strange hand-like claws. Their claws are strong enough to grab and snap branches and small trees to get at fruit and leaves. These quick moving Scorpions are the favored mounts of Thorgian cavalry, though less aggressive than some of their counterparts, an unbroken mount is still known to kill those foolhardy enough to try and ride them. The stingers are used for a mating ritual. Piranha Scorpion Size: Roughly the size of an earth Piranha Epidermis: Exoskeleton Offense: Venomous sting, fanged bite (Blood Thinning) Behavior: Carnivore/Scavenger - These swarms of swimming scorpions can be found in the freshwater of Thorg. Instead of legs they have stingray like fins and tails. Their exoskeleton is brittle making them vulnerable to hunters, however ,these animals move in packs attacking like piranhas. Their stinger thins the blood causing it to flow more freely, attracting an ever larger swarm as their prey bleeds out. The Deathless Scorpion Size: Large dog to the size of a horse Epidermis: hard exoskeleton Offense: Venomous sting (Hallucinogenic, Onset: 1d4 minutes, Duration: 1d3 days) Behavior: Carnivore/Scavenger - The Scorpions grow from eggs, the size of a hand, to large dogs as juveniles up to the size of a horse, scorpion tail looming over at a height of around 3m. They frequently travel in small packs of anywhere from 2-3 but are often alone as well. They are black shelled but shine a bright blue under a UV light. They live underground, within caves. It is unknown whether these are created by these Scorpions or not. The venom drives the victim into a hallucinogenic rage. Refining the poison is part of many of the more earliest known Deathless Vodka combat recipes, which is where the animal gets its name. Octo-Ape Size: Roughly the size of a Cat Epidermis: fur Offense: Venomous Bite (Deadly) Behavior: Scavenger - These strange many armed creatures are both aquatic and land based. They spend most of their time ins briny coastal areas, coming up onto the shores to play in and bask in the sun. Though they tend to stick to salt water they are known to travel quite a ways up coastal rivers into the freshwater. Though they have deadly venom, they are skittish fearful creatures that avoid larger animals at all cost. If injured they always choose to run always fighting. Usually only those foolish enough to actively try manage to get bit. The poison is a cardio and nerve toxic similar to that of a poison dart frog. Dragonfly bird - Quadruped bird Size: Roughly the size of a Cat Epidermis: Hard Scales and Brightly Colored Feathered Wings Offense: Poisonous Flesh (Hallucinogenic, Onset: 1d6 minutes, Duration: 1d6 days) Behavior: Scavenger – Eats fruit, always flees if hurt. Travels in a large pack commonly known as a murder, similar to crows. Can be very dangerous if they feel threatened and the swarm attacks. Thorgian Black-Back - Prime-ape: Size: 8-10 ft tall when standing up-right Epidermis: Thick Hyde covered in black fur Offense: Insane strength with their long limbs and strong bite that can crack the shell of a Deathless Scorpion Behavior: extremely territorial - they are the only known predator of the Deathless Scorpion but are also known to eat the fruits and plants of Thorg. The Great Thorgian Scorpion Size: 12-15 Feet Tall, 30-35 ft long Epidermis: Hard shell-like Exoskeleton Offense: Claws, Poison Stinger (Paralytic/Hallucinogenic: weak in strength but delivered in extremely high doses. Non lethal for a human sized creature) Behavior: Scavenger- These solitary creatures eat anything they can scavenging whatever comes across their path. While not particularly aggressive by nature The Great Thorgian Scorpion is terrifying when threatened. They can be tamed to a degree and are occasionally used as mounts by the warlords of Thorg. The creatures turn on their would be riders often enough that “Trying to tame a Great One” has become a saying on Thorg akin to “biting of more than you can chew”. Squid Pike Size: Roughly the size of a Bull Epidermis: Leathery Skin Offense: Sharp teeth, strong mandibles Behavior: Scavenger - Never attacks un-wounded prey, senses blood in the water, even downstream. These creatures are known to leave in the deeper salt waters of the Thorgian seas and oceans. These far ranging creatures are known to migrate all over the planet of Thorg's deeps from the polar caps to warm tropical waters. Thorgian Karinkrow Size: Wingspan 30-40 ft, Height 20-25 ft. Epidermis: Layers of tough leathery pale feathers and a thick skin. Offense: Sharp talons and a beak capable easily of piercing the heavy chitin of most scorpions. The creature may also attempt to buffet smaller prey with its wings Behavior: Apex Predator - This gigantic bird of prey hunts anything that is sizable and can provide it with a substantial meal. Its preferred prey is larger animals, such as larger Plains Scorpions and the Black-Back, although if it is particularly hungry or feels threatened it will eat humans as well. Thorgian Capybaras Size: Roughly the size of a Horse (Adult) Epidermis: Thick hide of brownish-red fur. Offense: Tendrils that extend from the withers, pointed teeth, host to an array of parasites that are deadly to humans and other species. Behavior: Generally Peaceful Herbivores - Thorgian Capybaras spend their time feeding on the flora provided within their habitat, the parasites they are host to granting them immunity to any potential harm stemming from digestion of these plants. While generally oblivious to harm and behaving in a gentle manner, the tendrils that sprout from their withers - a product of the parasites that reside within the creature - lash out at any creature that gets too close, dedicated to defending their host. Whalescorp Size: '''15-20 meters in length '''Epidermis: '''Crystaline shell-like Exoskeleton '''Offense: '''Four claw-like extensions in the front, powerful rear tail. '''Behavior: '''Usually peaceful scavengers - Whalescorps are one of the biggest aquatic lifeforms on Thorg, they aren't outright hostile to contact and can prove pretty docile. The 4 large claws are used to cut the prospective food into a size suitable for its relatively small mouth. The Whalescorp's powerful tail is used to move around in the Thorgian oceans. However, contacts with the whalescorps have shown that the normally peaceful animal can prove extremely dangerous once it is brought close to death, using its claws to cut the would-be predators to shreds. Hunterkiller '''Size: The female is roughly the size of an adult lion, the male is smaller around the size of an aardwolf Epidermis: Armored carapace (Dark Brown-Black (Female), Light Brown-Tan (Male)) Offense: The female of the species produces an incredibly lethal poison that the male retrieves from a specially grown sac to inject into the unwary. Behavior: This species of scorpion has a unique combined mating-hunting behaviour, sexual dimorphism doesn’t begin until they reach their juvenile stage at which point they begin to identify their potential mates. Once identified the two begin a process of bonding and metamorphosis. The one that has to this point been more successful in feeding becomes the dominant female and the other the male, much of the biomass that has been collected up to this point is concentrated in the female that comes to encompass the male almost entirely within its thickening carapace. As this carapace darkens the production of the Hunterkiller’s deadly poison begins in the female’s poison sac and the male’s tail is enlarged and strengthened gaining a reservoir capable of extracting this poison for later attacks. Known for using this to perform “pincer” maneuvers that have the smaller male sneaking behind prey that is distracted by the larger and more fearsome female. Lover’s Scorpion (AKA Heroin Scorpion, Tainted Love) Size: Roughly the size of a human thumb Epidermis: Milky-white translucent skin Offense: his species’ stinger is capable of injecting an opioid like substance and its claws are optimised for burrowing through flesh. Behavior: Once this parasitic scorpion species finds prey it latches on and burrows its way into its new host. Upon reaching the stomach it releases an opioid like substance that induces an addictive pleasure in the host, while also creating cravings for the local flora ensuring its food source. Some of the local tribes have found these creatures to be either a blessing or a curse. Some have found that the Lover’s Scorpion has caused much of their population to waste away as a result of being infected whereas others have found that it weeds out the week as those capable of continuing on despite being infected are incredibly strong. Those that continue on do wither slightly as some of their food intake is replaced by the necessary sustenance for the scorpion, however their resistance to pain and their ability to push their muscles beyond what is normally safe makes them ideal warriors for some tribes. True Lover’s Scorpion Size: Roughly the size of a human thumb Epidermis: Milky-white translucent skin Offense: This species’ stinger is capable of injecting an opioid like substance and its claws are optimised for burrowing through flesh. Behavior: A mutation of the Lover’s Scorpion, the True Lover’s poison is no longer a true opioid, it has a similar effect in inducing fixed serotonin and dopamine levels however as the scorpion goes into a hibernative state upon implanting itself it needs a far lower amount of silicon based food allowing the host to live a generally normal life beyond the carefully maintained mellow mood. Hive Scorpions Size: Roughly the size of a mouse Epidermis: Shiny-black chitin Offense: This species has extremely thin needle-like claws and serrated tail tips that allow them to do significant damage to anything that lacks armour. Behavior: These scorpions make portable hives out of their shed shells, housing a hive-queen at the centre these dark mounds make their way across the plains. When they near a creature the hive disgorges an army of scorpions that engulf their prey and tear it to pieces before carrying these pieces back to the hive. Within the hive this bio-matter is used as a base to grow the fungal growths that feed the hive. Ichor Fiend (AKA Vent Crawler, Drowned Flayers) Size: Roughly the size of a medium dog Epidermis: White bone like carapace Offense: The ichor that spreads from their skin leeches through biological matter and begins the process of digestion, allowing the claws of this scorpion to slice easily through flesh. Behavior: Due to the insulative ichor that these scorpions excrete and their preference for laying their eggs in a warm fluid environment, their clutches are commonly found in fuel stores and DVodka production facilities. This same ichor, that bubbles and froths off their bodies, gives them the impression of a small moving cloud of darkness and their long thin legs give the impression of fingers reaching out as they scuttle across the ground. Having adapted to the human environments around their preferred breeding grounds, these long prehensile legs and claws allow them to work handles and latches. Their attraction to fuel reserves and their penchant for attacking the crew of the ship they eventually hatch on is one of the major reasons for the tight quarantine that is enforced on Thorg. The Brown-Weaver Size: Roughly the size of a human fist Epidermis: Grey-Brown furred endoskeleton Offense: The webs weaved by this small scorpion like creature drift in the wind in hypnotic patterns that leave most prey in a lowered state of awareness, easy prey for the venom that they inject through their fangs. Behavior: Often reclusive, these creatures build their webs in the tall grasses found on the plains resulting in a wispy cloud-like effect coating the ground. Most creatures that find themselves in a Brown-Weaver's territory are caught by the hypnotic effects resulting in a strangely bold attitude. Thorgian Auroch Size: Roughly the size of a Gaur (Adult) Epidermis: Thick chitin-plates, brown in colour. Offense: Incredibly long mandibles that stretch out from the auroch’s gums. An extra pair of incredibly sharp, scorpion-like appendages that protrude from their shoulder blades capable of crushing solid metal. Stinger found at the end of the tail is often used as a self-defense measure for would-be attackers from behind, carrying a vicious venom. Behavior: These large, Thorgian bovines are temperamental, vicious predators who often hunt in herds, praying upon smaller fauna found across the planet’s surface. Their incredibly sturdy chitin-plates make for a difficult target, and the only known soft spots in their armor are found in the haunch and underside, each protected by the auroch’s scorpion tail and pincers, respectively. This defense can be overcome by some of the planet's much smaller fauna, however. While most who spend time on Thorg steer clear of the auroch herds, some of the more reckless and desperate passersby see this animal as a bountiful source of meat, and very rare dairy product. Thorgian Jumping Spider Size: 5 - 10 millimeters (Adult) Epidermis: Abdomen and cephalothorax covered in chitin-like plates, dark green in colour. Bioluminescent chelicerae, yellow in colour. Offense: Dangerous venom that varies in effect depending on the spider’s age. While not harmful enough to kill a human, the bite of a fully grown Thorgian Jumping Spider can lead to instant collapse, knocking them unconscious for anywhere between 8 to 12 hours. The bite of a juvenile Thorgian Jumping Spider is enough to leave one in a state of lethargy. Behavior: These tiny, nocturnal arachnids will typically keep to themselves unless threatened — scavenging and eating fruits while larger predators sleep at night. While easily identifiable at night thanks to their chelicerae, they are otherwise incredibly hard to spot due to their small size. Many travellers have unwittingly stumbled across and agitated a Thorgian Jumping Spider, leaving room for stories of otherwise perfectly healthy travellers crumpling to the ground; which makes them easy prey for other dangers or at the very least a sudden inconvenience in the travelling plans of their companions. Thorgian Flora Siren Pitcher Plant This plant looks much like a larger version of the pitcher plant from earth, however it is a tad more dangerous. Instead of growing out of the ground it hangs from trees and rocks like a vine or lichen. It uses static electricity to move membrane within the plant creating a sound mimicry effect. By mimicking the sounds of animals it lures its prey in before snapping it up. Once inside the pitcher the prey is trapped and dissolved by the plants natural acid. Vapor Lily This small plant grows like a weed throughout the Thorgian ecosystem. The small white flowers can be found growing near most any body of water. They have a defense chemical that, while not lethal to humans, can be ingested for a mild sedative and slight hallucinogenic effect. The lily’s are commonly crushed up and smoked by the Thorgian populace. some of the local tribes use the smoke or act of smoking as part of their customs, for others it is simply a readily available intoxicant. War Vine This blood red vine grows from the most damaged soil on Thorg, coating whole swaths of land red as it spreads. The leaves, when grounded into a paste and ingested, block pain receptors in the brain and removes the body's natural strength inhibitors. D.C.S has experimented with this vine as an alternative to known combat stims but found that the psychotic rage state it produces is antithetical to their more controlled style of warfare. The locals have not such qualms about its use. Chroma Crocus A flowering plant common in shaded clearings and areas of light foliage. Typically the plant has only aesthetic value in its deep violet flower that blooms bi-annually. However this changes when the underground corm is exposed to a variety of toxic substances, most often the venom soaked blood from the victims of Thorgian fauna. The next flower produced takes on a unique hue corresponding to the substance it was exposed to. The stamens and styles of the transformed flower can be used to create powerful anti-toxins to the substances it was exposed to. This requires multiple flowers per dose and the anti-toxins tend to have strong emetic, diuretic, and laxative side effects. This process is rare in the wild, as it requires direct absorption of a toxin, but can be artificially induced. Thorgian Blue A sought after hardwood, the Thorgian Blue is a tree that takes centuries to grow to an appropriate size for felling. Isadvan Pine Technically a softwood, Isadvan Pine has a strong sharp scent when freshly cut and a pale green colour that deepens as the wood ages. Thorgian Population and Tribes Attempted surveys of the native Thorgian population has estimated its number at around 100 thousand members, due to their wide spread, and oftentimes hostile intent towards outsiders, a precise number is impossible to establish. The thorgian population is separated into tribes, each with their own culture and traditions. However, they show some similarities, When you encounter Thorgian natives, you can almost always expect them to be battle hardened and adept at survival in a hostile environment. Some tribes are “cultivated” by the Deathless to provide an appropriate opposite force for training or a good recruitment pool. They do so by imposing pre-determined scenarios on these tribes to force an adaptation, effectively training them without their knowledge. Here are some of the most prominent tribes on Thorg. The Tamers Led by: Jake Leadership determined by: Who has the bigger scorpion to ride into battle. Location: Nomadic, changes from scorpion breeding ground to breeding ground. Description: While the taming of a Great Scorpion is a warlord’s mark of greatness on Thorg, the Tamers make it a habit, forming life-bonds with the Scorpions they ride into battle, a thing unseen within other Thorgian tribes. The tamer’s rite of passage into adulthood is, unsurprisingly the taming of a wild Great Thorgian Scorpion. A youngling goes into the breeding grounds, alone and unprotected, to find their potential lifelong companion, if they return with a Great One; they return an adult ready to contribute to the tribe. The Tamers venerate the scorpions as companions and bringers of life and consider The Sting Bearers as their mortal enemies, because of their ritual hunting of the Great Ones. Deathless recruits coming from this tribe prove to be excellent Mech pilots, due to their habit of piloting giant mounts. The separation with their companions is usually problematic for deathless recruiters, requiring a full ceremony involving the official expelling of the tribe and sometimes, deadly opposition. The Sting Bearers Led by: Alar Dorvan Leadership determined by: Ritual Combat to the Death Location: Nomadic Description: Named after their weapon of choice: The Sting, a mono-blade created from one of the Great Thorgian Scorpion’s stingers. They are expert survivalists and are extremely adaptable to their surroundings. The rite of passage for adulthood in this tribe consists in their yearly “Hunt of The Great Ones”, where teams of young would-be adults go into Great Thorgian Scorpions scavenging grounds to kill one of the beasts and harvest its stingers with minimal equipment and protection. Observed mortality rate on those hunts is surprisingly low, due to excellent coordinations between the younglings. Sting Bearers respect the Great Ones as worthy foes, although they would never ride one, considering it a blasphemous disrespect of them as enemies. Therefore they have the utmost hatred for the Tamers, and regularly clash with them. Deathless recruits coming from this tribe prove to be excellent team workers and close combattants, attempts at separating a Sting Bearer recruit from their Stinger has proven to be dangerous and often times lethal. Murderslash Incorporated Led by: King Murderslash Leadership determined by: Line of succession. Location: Deathless Conflict Solutions Industrial Safe Zone Description: They owned one of the bigger trade hubs on Thorg, the Slashing Estate, now managing the Deathless’ industry expansion on Thorg, this group is one of the more “pacific” tribes on Thorg, resolving disputes with clever dealmaking rather than fighting, providing supplies and manufactured goods to other tribes. Deathless recruits from Murderslash Incorporated have proven to be cunning, resourceful and quite adept at deal making. Frictions with other Thorgian recruits seem to happen often, due to them being “cowards”, but the dispute is usually settled amicably. The Orphans of Thorg Led by: Legacy of Blood Leadership determined by: Unknown Location: The Blood Fortress Descripton: This tribe is extremely hostile to anyone outside of their group. they make it a habit of raiding other tribes and attacking Deathless troops. they follow a strange pattern of attack, raiding and pillaging only on certain days of the Thorgian year. Their savagery, hit and run tactics, and uncanny aptitude for survival would make them excellent recruits for the Deathless. However, Deathless recruitment teams are strictly forbidden to try any contact with the tribe, as they have proven impossible to enter talks with. The Orphans of Thorg are currently the leading and most vocal opposition force against The Deathless Industrial project. The Ruins Led by: The Block Leadership determined by: Whoever becomes of age to join The Block Location: The Ruins of Isadva Description: Remaining only in the ruins of the former capital, it is unknown how they sustain themselves since they never leave them. Rituals surrounding old Thorgian monuments have been observed. Extremely hostile to whoever enters Isadva, the Ruins are experts at urban warfare and laying ambushes. Communications with this tribe have been attempted by Deathless recruiting teams, but they can never be found, or the teams have been attacked shortly after entering the ruins. The Followers of the Demon Led by: The Daughter Leadership determined by: Line of Succession? Location: The area surrounding Dimi’s castle, it is hallowed ground to them. Description: Use Deathless Marine Corp’s combat tactics adapted to low technology. Venerate a figure known by its full name as “The Most Unholy And Terrible Demon Which Came From The Sky In a Storm of Furious Fire And Blood To Conquer Us All, May He Return As Our Rightful Ruler” or The Demon for short. Recruits from this tribe almost always join the Orbital Marine Corp’s 9th Division, citing their will to “serve the Demon”. Because of their use of typical marine tactics, these recruits fall easily in line with the rest, providing a great boon to Deathless Conflict Solutions. The Blooded Feathers Led by: The Lucid Seeker Leadership determined by: Ritual Combat or the accomplishment of Great Deeds. Location: In the area surrounding the Hazard Box. Description: Interestingly enough the culture of the tribe is based around the concept of seeking out personal glory, yet it is one of the largest tribes on Thorg. The most skilled warriors of the tribe wear on their backs a shawl of feathers crafted from the carcass of the Thorgian Karinkrow, only those who participated in the yearly hunt for one of these beasts may wear the shawl, and thus become true warriors. The warriors who have not passed this trial may, however, wear the white feathers of the Karinkrow on a necklace. Regardless of the rank of the warrior, each warrior is required to keep track of their triumphs by bleeding themselves on the feathers, the more blooded feathers you possess, the more status you have. To accommodate the tribe’s ever continuing quest to find glory, they have been offered permanent employment as the under-staff of the Deathless training facility, on Thorg, known as the Hazard Box. The Wayfinders Led by: N/A Leadership determined by: N/A Location: Global Description: The Wayfinders are less a tribe and more of a loosely affiliated group bearing the same charter. A charter to mark paths and shepherd humans through the wilderness of Thorg. These supreme survivalists of Thorg are willing to guide anyone willing to pay for their services. Whether they are a related people, or if one is adopted into the group is unclear, but once they join, these guides of Thorg surrender their names going only by Wayfinder. The Wayfinders are highly individualistic, spending most of their time alone or with one companion(frequently a trainee) in the wilds of the planet. They stay completely neutral in all conflict, always sticking to their charter, helping anyone who needs their services survive in the wilds. Because of their value and their neutrality it is considered horrible luck by local Thorgians to kill or harm a Wayfinder. The Wayfinders’ neutrality makes them useful to The Deathless on planet, however despite their willingness to work with off-worlders, they absolutely refuse to join as recruits or leave the planets surface. Food on Thorg Due to its sillicon-based biosphere, organic mass on Thorg isn't able to be consumed by humans. One can then wonder how the various low-technology tribes on Thorg have survived for the last 250+ years, here are a few ways that the native populace manages to secure food supplies: Using old Thorgian technology * The populace tries to find pre-Burning of Thorg technology that is capable of transforming Thorgian crops into human compatible food. Some tribes, mainly The Ruins, who can be found in Isadva, have rapidly developed the skills needed to operate such machinery, however, they haven’t been able to create any surplus due to the small amount of machines that are still in working conditions. Scavenging * Some supply caches still remain from the pre-Burning regime, nomadic tribes sometime happen upon these caches and plunder the food present in it as well as any weapon they might find. Sometimes, Deathless camps and abandoned positions hold fresher food supplies, and are prized scavenging grounds Trading with The Deathless * Friendlier (some would say smarter) tribes of Thorg tend to try and negotiate with Deathless operatives to get the food supplies they need. Some arrangements include Deathless supply drops at designated locations. More often than not this causes rival tribes to fight for the drop, as is the way of the warring tribes of Thorg. Fighting The Deathless * Braver (Some would say Dumber) tribes of Thorg use their knowledge of the terrain and expertise at guerilla warfare to attack Deathless units and try and seize their food supplies. Since they would most assuredly lose in open warfare, these tribes. Like The Orphans of Thorg, rely on nighttime raids and and ambushes. These tactics are the very definition of “High Risk, High Reward”, as a successful raid can mean fresh food and high-tier equipment, however the casualty rates of such attacks are extremely high. The Deathless have done no attempts to stop these raids, as leadership considers them excellent training opportunities for their troops. Due to this way of gathering food, no typical cuisine has been developped by the Thorgian populace, the food serving mostly as a way of subsisting, and it being based on what is on hand at the moment. Feral World In the long, isolated night of the Silence, some worlds have experienced total moral and cultural collapse. Whatever remains has been twisted beyond recognition into assorted death cults, xenophobic fanaticism, horrific cultural practices, or other behavior unacceptable on more enlightened worlds. These worlds are almost invariably quarantined by other planets. Enemies: * Decadent noble * Mad cultist * Xenophobic local * Cannibal chief * Maltech researcher Friends: * Trapped outworlder * Aspiring reformer * Native wanting to avoid traditional flensing Complications: * Horrific local "celebration" * Inexplicable and repugnant social rules * Taboo zones and people Things: * Terribly misused piece of pretech * Wealth accumulated through brutal evildoing * Valuable possesion owned by luckless outworlder victim Places: * Atrocity amphitheater * Traditional torture parlor * Ordinary location twisted into something terrible Quarantined World The world is under a quarantine, and space travel to and from it is strictly forbidden. This may be enforced by massive ground batteries that burn any interlopers from the planet's sky, or it may be that a neighboring world runs a persistent blockade. Enemies: * Defense installation commander * Suspicious patrol leader * Crazed asteroid hermit Friends: * Relative of a person trapped on the world * Humanitarian relief official * Treasure hunter Complications: * The natives want to remain isolated * The quarantine is enforced by an ancient alien installation * The world is rife with maltech abominations * The blockade is meant to starve everyone on the barren world Things: * Defense grid key * Bribe for getting someone out * Abandoned alien tech Places: * Bridge of a blockading ship * Defense installation control room * Refugee camp Warlords The world is plagued by warlords. Numerous powerful men and women control private armies sufficiently strong to cow whatever local government may exist. On the lands they claim, their word is law. Most spend their time oppressing their own subjects and murderously pillaging those of their neighbors. Most like to wrap themselves in the mantle of ideology, religious fervor, or an ostensibly legitimate right to rule. Enemies: * Warlord * Avaricious lieutenant * Expensive assassin * Aspiring minion Friends: * Vengeful commoner * Government military officer * Humanitarian aid official * Village priest Complications: * The warlords are willing to cooperate to fight mutual threats * The warlords favor specific religions or races over others * The warlords are using substantially more sophisticated tech than others * Some of the warlords are better rulers than the government Things: * Weapons cache * Buried plunder * A warlord's personal battle harness * Captured merchant shipping Places: * Gory battlefield * Burnt-out village * Barbaric warlord palace * Squalid refugee camp Orbital Ruin Kunes 1 'Occupation:'Trigger-happy scavengers 'Situation:'A terrible secret is unearthed Research Base Saheki 1 'Occupation:'Scientists from a major local corp 'Situation:'Selling black-market tech Space Station Knobel 3 'Occupation:'Freeze-dried ancient corpses 'Situation:'Vault for dangerous pretech Category:Planets Category:Ragnhil